Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: contest, tournament, match, game, round, heat, fixture, event, meet, encounter, rivalry, competitiveness, vying, contesting, opposition, contention, conflict, feuding, battling, fighting, struggling, strife, war, opposing side, other side, other team, field, enemy, foe

Showing 1 to 25 of 2685 results

1. God Works Through Opposites

Matthew 21:1-11

Sermon

Mark Ellingsen

... heal ... (Deuteronomy 32:39)." I kill, and I make alive. God, Yahweh, offers here an unambiguous testimony to the fact that he works through opposites. It is little wonder that God does not do the things we would expect a God to do. No wonder that he does not ... that fickle crowd of disciples on that first Palm Sunday.) This is one of the reasons that God works through contrasts and opposites. He is showing us our sin, so that we can be prepared to receive his message of forgiveness. As usual, the words of ...

2. Opposites

Eulogy

Richard F. Bansemer

... What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body." Have you ever noticed how opposite things are in the faith, compared to our current experience? Again and again and again things are not really what they look like.The greatest example, of course, is the whole crucifixion of Christ. They thought that they were killing a man. They thought when they ...

3. Opposites

Eulogy

Richard F. Bansemer

4. Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:6-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... reminds us that as God’s people we are engaged in a struggle, a conflict with the forces of evil. Paul says, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted . . .” (2 Tim. 3:12). Likewise, any work of God will confront opposition. But Ezra-Nehemiah also reminds us that God knows how to give the victory; he is faithful and will fulfill his purpose in our lives and in the work he gives us to do. Ezra 4:24 appears to refer to verse 23, but in reality it refers back to ...

5. Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 4:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... . In this case Sanballat also sees it as a threat to his influence in the area. So he attempts to make their efforts appear useless. Certainly the burned stones would be almost useless and the rubble would hinder the work. Tobiah joins the opposition by exaggerating the weakness of the wall. Together they attempt to stop the work. Psychological warfare often resorts to lies (as archaeologists have found that Nehemiah’s wall was nine feet thick). Nehemiah’s first response is to turn to God in prayer ...

6. Opposition to the Rebuilding

Ezra 4:1-5

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... , which they had to endure with patience until the tide turned. Verses 6–7 refer to the first two letters in passing. The first of these four letters is mentioned in verse 6 and is defined as an accusation sent to Xerxes. Therefore, it is in parallel to the opposition of verses 4–5 and is ascribed to the peoples of verse 4, further branding them with the enmity of verse 1. The second letter is not quoted but is mentioned in verse 7. We are told that it is sent to Artaxerxes. The third letter is also to ...

7. Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:6-24

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

8. Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 4:1-23

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... Verse 6 describes it as a significant advance on the previous one, which is credited to the people that worked “with a will” (REB). As usual, news of it was soon heard beyond the province, and it occasioned a show of hostility. This incident of opposition involved not only Samaria (Sanballat, Tobiah), but also an encircling group of neighbors, including for the first time the province of Ashdod to the west and the Ammonites to the east. An allied coalition on all four sides drew up plans for a military ...

9. Opposition to the Work

Ezra 4:1-5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... are concerned to maintain their purity and the truth of God’s revelation. We can praise God that they did, for through this community all the world has received the Bible and God’s glorious message of salvation. Ezra 4:4–5 is a résumé of the opposition during the reigns of the Persian kings Cyrus (550–530 BC), Cambyses II (530–522 BC), and Darius I (522–486 BC). As we continue to see, there are enemies on every side of this small community. Part of the enmity must have been the enemies’ envy ...

10. God's Opposition

Illustration

Albert Barnes

... passion of revenge. It is one of the most obvious rules of interpretation that we are not to apply to God passions and feelings which, among us, have their origin in evil. [God's wrath] is the opposition of the divine character against sin; and the determination of the divine mind to express that opposition in a proper way, by excluding the offender from the favors which He bestows on the righteous. We admire the character of a father who is opposed to disorder, vice, and disobedience in his family, and who ...

11. Opposite the Treasury

Mark 12:41-44

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... she had. And Jesus said nothing about giving it back to her or that she should have been more prudent. Rather, he commended her most highly: “This poor widow has put in more than all the rest!” He said. (Mark 12:43) I. JESUS SAT, WATCHING, “OPPOSITE THE TREASURY” Mark tells us. And He didn’t seem to be the least embarrassed, did He? I think that I might have been. All through my ministry I have resisted knowing what any individual church member contributes. I guess I have been afraid that I might ...

12. Opposite of Woe

Humor

Somewhere I read about some aspiring psychiatrists who were attending their first class on emotional extremes. "Just to establish some parameters," said the professor. "Mr. Jones. What is the opposite of joy?" "Sadness," said the student. "And the opposite of depression, Ms. Smith?" "Elation." "How about the opposite of woe, Mr. Brown?" "I believe that's giddyup," the student replied.

13. Joy Is Not The Opposite Of Faith

Illustration

Robert Beringer

... officer." And wide-eyed, the sailor says, "You mean, a ... a chaplain?" And the officer replies, "No. No. I really do cheer people up!" How sad that this word joy which Isaiah uses so many times in our text for today is so often thought to be the very opposite of faith! What a commentary that is on we Christians who seem to be saints with sour faces - people who talk about rejoicing before the Lord but who give little evidence of that joy in our living. When you turn to the pages of the Bible, you find that ...

14. Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... the point of the chapter—a new focus on Nehemiah himself. His indispensable role in the project motivated a series of threats against him. “Strike the kingpin, and the rest will fall in quick succession” was now the motto of the opposition. Judah’s neighbors evidently regarded building the wall as the first stage of political and economic resurgence for the province under Nehemiah’s leadership. This uneasiness over future implications of a shift in the balance of regional power will be reflected ...

15. Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 6:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Now that the internal crisis has been alleviated, the account turns again to the opposition from without, this time by trickery. Apparently Sanballat and his allies, having failed in their former tactics, decide the only way to stop the revitalizing of the Jewish community is to eliminate their leader. They are desperate, for now only the gates must be finished to complete the wall. Their ...

16. Samaritan Opposition Foreshadows Jerusalem

Luke 9:51-56

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... John to ask Jesus if he wants them to send fire on the Samaritans (like Elijah did in the Old Testament; 2 Kings 1:10, 12). Jesus rebukes his disciples, which shows them that non-retaliation is a better way and gives them a pattern to follow when they encounter opposition. The words of Jesus in verses 55–56 are not in the earliest manuscripts.

17. Continuing Opposition to the Apostles by Jewish Leadership

Acts 5:12-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Luke here again provides a portrayal of the ministry of the apostles and the opposition from the Jewish leaders. The summary account of the miracles performed by the apostles (5:12–16) provides a different manifestation of the power of God. While the death of Ananias and Sapphira points to the powerful act of God in judgment, here the mighty acts performed through the hands ...

18. Prayer's Opposite

Humor

Preparation~~Charlie Brown, that widely known theologian of the comic strip, once reported to Lucy as he knelt beside his bed for prayer, "I think I've made a new theological discovery. If you hold your hands upside down, you get the opposite of what you pray for."

19. Do The Opposite

Illustration

Staff

When country music singer Willie Nelson's daughter told him that she was thinking of entering the music business, he gave her one piece of advice: "Paula, look at everything I do closely and do exactly the opposite."

20. The Opposite of Love

Illustration

Maxie Dunnam

The opposite of love is not hate but indifference. A sociologist interviewed some young people regarding their impressions of their homes and their parents. One young woman told him that she lived in an apartment in a big city, and after supper in the summer the children on the block gathered in ...

21. Opposition from Within: The Crisis of Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

In this second movement of the book (Ezra 7–10), the crisis or conflict is the problem of mixed marriages with pagan neighbors. It is an outright disobedience of God’s commands and threatens the future of the covenant community. This episode takes place four months after the events of chapter 8 (see Ezra 10:9). Ezra has been teaching God’s written word. He does not try to do everything himself; his policy is to prepare leaders through teaching the law of God. Throughout this chapter there are many ...

22. Opposition from Pharisees and Disciples

Mark 8:14-21, Mark 8:22-26

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Following the feeding of the four thousand, Jesus and the disciples cross to the west side of the Sea of Galilee, landing at Dalmanutha (8:10). This is the lone reference in all ancient literature to Dalmanutha, the location of which is uncertain. The implication of the story, however, is that it was either near to or identical with Magadan (Matt. 15:39), about three miles north of Tiberias. At Dalmanutha the Pharisees ask Jesus “for a sign from heaven” (8:11)—that is, for an outward and compelling proof ...

23. Samaritan Opposition

Luke 9:51-56

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

In 9:51 Luke begins his account of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem (9:51–19:27), which is sometimes called the “Travel Narrative” or simply the “Central Section.” Luke breaks away from his Marcan source in this section until 18:15 (see Introduction, pp. 3–5 and commentary on 10:1–24 below). During this section the reader is reminded of Jesus’ journey by references to the verb “to go” (9:51–53, 56–57; 10:38; 13:31, 33; 17:11; 19:28) and the noun “road” or “way” (9:57; 10:4). We shall examine 9:51–62, which is ...

24. The Opposite of Steward Is Victim

Illustration

Editor James S. Hewett

In his book, The Search for Power, Harvard Professor David C. McClelland contends that there are four stages in the development of the individual to maturity: Stage 1: Power is perceived as coming from others, but is directed toward oneself. Stage 2: Power is perceived as residing within oneself, and is used for the needs of the self. Stage 3: Power is perceived as residing within oneself, but is used for the sake of others. Stage 4: Power is perceived as residing outside, coming through the self, but used ...

25. More Beyond

Acts 16:16-34

Sermon

Charley Reeb

... things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38- 39). This is the promise which gave Paul the capability to survive and overcome opposition. He knew that he had a source of strength that could sustain and empower him. As he faced the dark hours of persecution, he was certain that God was with him, giving him the courage to face the ugliest of terrors. He had the confidence that the ...

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